Help me describe some elves! (Writer's Block)

[jdrakeh]

Okay, I'm working on a traditional fantasy setting that is inspired heavily by the American Old West and the Colonial America. The setting is for use with OD&D and (Holmes) Basic D&D. Elves (and other races) are not actually provided very much setting context in those rule sets. We know that they're good marksmen and that they advance as Fighting Men and Magic Users. That's about all of the context that we get in the respective rule sets.

All of the "loves nature" and "shuns human contact" stuff came later, though I would like to allude to that. I know, for certain, that I want the elves (as a culture) to be a rough analogue for Native American tribes of the Great Plains. I want to depict them as skilled hunters and gatherers, as well as learned mystics (Magic Users).

I also want to emphasize that they are not savage or warlike but, rather, seek only to strengthen their spiritual bond with the World Spirit through the pursuit of emotional sensations and a personal relationship with nature. I envision them as nomads, who follow the herds of elk and other wild animals when the Shifting of Seasons compels them to do so.

I want to portray them as a culture who is both wise and content with what they have, not as primitives who do not know better. I specifically want to note that they eschew material wealth in the form of gold and jewels, instead holding in high value things of practical use (again, not because they are naieve but, rather, because they are wise).

But then writer's block hits me. Here is what I have so far:

"Wandering windswept plains and wild woods, the nomadic elves of the New World are both skilled warriors and wielders of magic, though they are also a peaceful people who devote their lives to the single-minded pursuit of a stronger spiritual bond with the World Spirit."

So, I know pretty much what I want but am having trouble typing it If you can throw some ideas or suggestions out there, I would be happy to hear them all. Thanks in advance!

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

First, check out Chief Seattle's speech, mentioned here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Seattle

but set to music (namely, Black Sabbath's Into the Void) by Soundgarden here:

http://www.justsomelyrics.com/417183/Soundgarden-Into-the-Void-(Sealth)-Lyrics

Not savage, but sophisticated.

Some tribes might be non-nomadic, living simply by simply living on whatever nature (and magic) can provide.

If you look at NA artifacts, you'll see that even their most practical of equipment could be quite ornately decorated if they had reason to do so, like as presentation pieces to honor someone or a particular agreement, or as recognition of a great deed. However decorated, though, the item usually remained fully functional.

Also, check out some of the more famous NA legends, like the White Buffalo or the Thunderbird.
http://impurplehawk.com/legend.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunderbird_(mythology)

 

[jdrakeh]

If you look at NA artifacts, you'll see that even their most practical of equipment could be quite ornately decorated if they had reason to do so, like as presentation pieces to honor someone or a particular agreement, or as recognition of a great deed. However decorated, though, the item usually remained fully functional.

Oh, I know. My point was merely that many of the Plains tribes tended to place more value on utility than on opulence. My father's side of the family grew up in the Oklahoma panhandle during the Land Run of 1889 and lived there through the Dust Bowl years. We have several Native American ancestors on that side of the family

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

OK, so we're on the same page on ornamentation...

Is the difficulty then how to describe that preference?

If so, perhaps you should use more animist language in your descriptions.

IOW, something like...

"To elvish craftmen, the form of an object is dictated by the needs and majesty of the spirit meant to inhabit the object's shape. Thus, every act of creation- be it a simple knife or the most ornate attire- is a partnership between the spirit world and the crafter's hands. A low and brutish spirit may be content to be housed in a boy's quickly created stone-chip knife...but only the spirit-guided hands of a master artisan can shape a weapon of steel, skin and bone worthy of being a great weapon spirit's dwelling place in the world of mortals."

 

[jdrakeh]

Is the difficulty then how to describe that preference?

Bingo -- hence the "writer's block" bit

If so, perhaps you should use more animist language in your descriptions.

IOW, something like...

"To elvish craftmen, the form of an object is dictated by the needs and majesty of the spirit meant to inhabit the object's shape. Thus, every act of creation- be it a simple knife or the most ornate attire- is a partnership between the spirit world and the crafter's hands. A low and brutish spirit may be content to be housed in a boy's quickly created stone-chip knife...but only the spirit-guided hands of a master artisan can shape a weapon of steel, skin and bone worthy of being a great weapon spirit's dwelling place in the world of mortals."

Excellent suggestion! Thanks!

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Hopefully, some of my other suggestions above will help loosen the logo-logjam- especially Chief Sealth's speech.

I think that continuing in the "animist" vein will help unlock these elves. Unfortunately, I'm not as familiar with the pre-AD&D versions of the game as I should be, even though I've been playing since '77 and have my Eldritch Wizardry, etc. I only played Basic for a month or so before latching onto AD&D for good.

To continue...

"Elves view magic and nature as one unified whole, and are as cautious in their use of spellcraft as in all other aspects of their existence. They are loath to use a spell when a hammer and chisel would do, and are less likely to use an area-effect spell that would devastate nature as well as their enemies than most other spellcasting races. It is the rare elf indeed who would use a spell merely to make things easier for himself."

 

[WayneLigon]

"They are a practical people. They take what is needed and little else; they do not hoard, trusting in the spirits of the land to provide for them when needed. They give back the remains to the earth and the stream, so that the fish and worms might benefit as they have benefitted.

They hold that all things - every animal, every plant, every natural feature - holds a spirit of some sort. They know they exist solely by the sufference of these spirits, so they offer thanks and respect to the land when they take something for their own use. When they hunt they let the earth drink the first blood in thanks, then show respect to the Animal Fathers by wasting nothing. Indeed, waste is their greatest sin, followed by indulgence to excess. A fat man earns their contempt, and a wastrel their anger.

They are not given much to display. They are a deeply religious folk but hold no services, have no book and keep no treasures depicting their gods. When asked about it, the elf we spoke to laughed. "Why do I need a picture of the Spirit of Mountains when he is there on the horizon? Why do we need a book? The Spirit of Winds is with me in every breath and I hear him always. What treasure can match the River Spirits great gift of life to our crops? These things you speak of are children's toys."